Sunday, May 10, 2020

“Pick It Up” (John 14:1-14)


Poet Robert Frost wrote a poem about choices called The Road Not Taken.  The poem is about a traveler who comes upon two roads going into the woods . . . basically a fork in the road.  One is well-worn and traveled, the other is over-grown and less used.  The traveler must decide as to which road to travel . . . the easy, sure way or the less taken and mysterious way.  The debate rages on within the traveler until a choice is finally made:

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

In choosing to take the road less traveled, the traveler begins an adventure of growth and learning.  The traveler embraces the unknown and the mysterious that challenges him or her to see and experience life differently.  In stepping out of the known into the unknown the traveler embraces a new world . . . knowing that it won’t be easy.  Stepping forward the traveler journeys into growth as a person.

I am not an avid fan of poetry, but I do appreciate a good metaphor or analogy.  The “fork in the road” is just that . . . a good metaphor or analogy.  Which brings me to baseball.  I love baseball.  I am a die-hard fan of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East Division . . . along with the New York Yankees . . . those damn Yankees.  I do not like the Yankees, but I do have two Yankee players that I admire.  Both were catchers.  One was Thurman Munson, the other was Yogi Berra.  Though Yogi Berra was a Yankee, he said some pretty good quotes during his career and lifetime.  He was wise and a wise guy.

Here are a few of my favorites:

You can observe a lot by just watching.
It’s like déjà vu all over again.
A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.
Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t come to yours.
You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.
I never said most of the things I said.

And, then this one which is probably my favorite as he butchers the metaphor and analogy of Frost’s famous poem: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

In our scripture reading for today, the disciples are struggling with a decision even though they do not realize it.  Like the traveler in Frost’s poem, they have come to a place where two roads diverge into the woods . . . they’ve come to a fork in the road.  Jesus tells them that he is leaving to go and prepare a place for them.  But Thomas admits that none of them have a clue where Jesus is going . . . “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”    Jesus tells them that he is the “way”.  The disciples must make a choice . . . the world’s way or Jesus’ way.  The choice is theirs to make. 

Now remember, that the conversation we are hearing in our reading is taking place that evening of the last meal Jesus had with his disciples before he was arrested, tried, and crucified.  Jesus and the disciples have been together for awhile now . . . a couple of years . . . and, Jesus is getting a little exasperated with his disciples.  They still don’t get it . . . they still don’t understand . . . Jesus, his teachings, his way of life, his call upon their lives.  Thus, they are standing at a fork in the road and Jesus is telling them to pick it up!

Yogi knew what to do with a fork in the road.  You pick it up and keep going.  Jesus wanted his disciples to follow him . . . to live life as he lived life.  He wanted them to know God as he knew God.  He wanted that intimacy for them because that is what God desires.  He wanted them to love God as God loves them.  He also wanted them to love others . . . all others as God has loved them.  He wanted them to change the world . . . to make it a better place . . . to establish God’s Kingdom.  His way was not the way of the world . . . that was the road he wanted his disciples to choose to travel.

Remember how I said last week that the Christmas and Easter stories seem to be on continuous replay . . . that we hear the same old stories over and over again with the same results?  As Yogi said earlier in the sermon, “It’s like déjà vu all over again.”  I think that is the frustrating thing about Easter . . . we know the story . . . we know how it ends . . . and, it demands a choice.  Every year it demands us to decide about following Jesus.  And, yet, here we are once again, standing at a fork in the road.  Jesus wants to know if we are going to pick it up.

Well . . . are we?

As I have told you before, M. Scott Peck in his book The Road Less Traveled, states that sin is taking the easy way out.  As humans we are creatures of habit . . . we like doing things the way that we do them . . . and, we sure are not going to try something different and mysterious that carries some risk.  We are more likely to take the well-worn road because if it was good enough for everyone else, it is good enough for ourselves.  Tried and true . . . that is what we like; yet, it is not the way of Jesus.

Jesus’ ways are not the world’s ways.  Jesus doesn’t believe in Band-Aid ministry or throwing money at the problem.  No, Jesus believes in solving problems that bring everyone to the table.  Jesus seeks out peace where there is conflict . . . reconciliation, not compromise . . . love not prejudice and hatred.  He doesn’t seek division but unity . . . welcome not hostility.  Right not wrong.  No one is to be excluded, everyone is to be included.  It is a road that is not often traveled down, but it is the road that he takes . . . a road that leads to the Kingdom, a place he goes to prepare for us.

It is a road not often chosen.  A road that takes risks as it heads into the unknown.  It is not popular as it is overgrown and less worn . . . a mystery.  The other road looks more attractive . . . it is smoother, has rest areas, places to stop and eat.  It looks faster and like less work.  It is our choice.  Are we going to pick up the fork in the road?

Jesus wants us to.  He tells his disciples and us: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these . . .”  Jesus believes . . . believes in us . . . that we can do it.  We have to believe in ourselves that we can do it . . . that we can pick up the fork and follow Jesus.  As Frost wrote at the conclusion of his poem:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Jesus believes we can make a difference . . . let us pick up the fork in the road and follow Jesus where he leads.  Let’s make a difference.  God is waiting . . . Jesus shows the way.  Amen.

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